與上帝和好

我們既然因信而被稱為義人,就藉著我們的主耶穌基督與上帝和好了。 我們又靠著祂,藉著信進入現在所站的這恩典中,歡歡喜喜地盼望分享上帝的榮耀。 不但如此,我們在苦難中也歡喜,因為知道苦難使人生忍耐, 忍耐生品格,品格生盼望。 這種盼望不會落空,因為上帝的愛藉著所賜給我們的聖靈已傾注在我們心中。

當我們還軟弱無助的時候,基督就在所定的日期為罪人死了。 為義人死,是罕見的;為好人死,也許有敢做的; 但基督卻在我們還做罪人的時候為我們死!上帝的愛就這樣顯明了。

現在,我們既然因祂所流的血而被稱為義人,豈不更要靠著祂免受上帝的烈怒嗎? 10 如果我們還與上帝爲敵的時候,尚且可以藉著上帝兒子的死亡與上帝和好,和好後的我們豈不更要藉著祂兒子的生命得到拯救嗎? 11 不但如此,我們藉著主耶穌基督與上帝和好之後,還要藉著祂在上帝面前歡喜。

亞當與基督

12 因此,罪怎樣從一個人進入世界並帶來了死亡,死亡也怎樣臨到了全人類,因為全人類都犯了罪。 13 沒有律法之前,罪已經在世上了;但沒有律法,罪也不算為罪。 14 事實上,從亞當到摩西的時代,死亡一直辖制著人類,甚至連那些不與亞當犯同樣罪的人也不能倖免。亞當是將要來的那位的預表。

15 然而,上帝的洪恩遠超過亞當的過犯。若因一人的過犯,眾人都要死亡,那麼上帝的恩典,也就是通過耶穌基督一人所賜的恩典,豈不要更豐富地臨到眾人嗎? 16 再者,上帝的恩賜不同於一人犯罪的後果。一人犯罪便帶來審判和定罪,恩賜卻使眾人罪惡得赦、被稱為義人。 17 如果因一人的過犯,死亡就藉著那人作了王,那麼接受上帝洪恩又得到祂所賜之義的人,豈不更要藉著耶穌基督一人在生命中作王嗎?

18 如此說來,因為一人的過犯,眾人都被定罪;照樣,因為一人的義行,眾人都被稱為義人,得到生命。 19 因為一人的悖逆,眾人成為罪人;照樣,因為一人的順服,眾人將被稱為義人。 20 律法是後來頒佈的,使過犯更多地顯出來,只是哪裡的罪越多,哪裡的恩典就顯得越豐富。 21 罪怎樣掌權帶來死亡[a],恩典也照樣藉著義掌權,為要藉著我們主耶穌基督帶來永生。

Footnotes

  1. 5·21 罪怎樣掌權帶來死亡」或譯「罪怎樣藉著死亡掌權」。

1 He amplifieth 2 Christ’s righteousness, which is laid hold on by faith, 5 who was given for the weak, 8 and sinful. 14 He compareth Christ with Adam. 17 Death with Life, 20 and the Law with Grace.

Then being [a]justified by faith, we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(A)[b]By whom also through faith we have [c]had this access into this grace [d]wherein we [e]stand, [f]and [g]rejoice under the hope of the glory of God.

[h]Neither that only, but also we (B)rejoice in tribulations, [i]knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience.

And patience experience, and experience hope.

[j]And hope maketh not ashamed, because the [k]love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost, which is given unto us.

[l]For Christ, when we were yet of no strength, at his [m]time died for the (C)ungodly.

[n]Doubtless one will scarce die [o]for a righteous man: but yet for a good man it may be that one dare die.

But God [p]setteth out his love towards us, seeing that while we were yet [q]sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from [r]wrath through him.

10 For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life,

11 [s]And not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

12 [t]Wherefore, as by [u]one man [v]sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death went over all men: [w]in whom all men have sinned.

13 [x]For unto the [y]time of the Law was sin in the world, but sin is not [z]imputed, while there is no law.

14 [aa]But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over [ab]them also that sinned not after the like [ac]manner of the transgression of Adam, [ad]which was the figure of him that was to come.

15 [ae]But yet the gift is not so as is the offense: for if through the offense of [af]that one, many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

16 [ag]Neither is the gift so, as that which entered in by one that sinned: for the fault came of one offense unto condemnation: but the gift is of many offenses to [ah]justification.

17 [ai]For if by the offense of one, death reigned through one, much more shall they which receive that abundance of grace, and of that gift of that righteousness, [aj]reign in life through one, that is, Jesus Christ.

18 [ak]Likewise then, as by the offense of one, the fault came on all men to condemnation, so by the justifying of one, the benefit abounded toward all men to the [al]justification of life.

19 [am]For as by one man’s [an]disobedience [ao]many were made sinners, so by that obedience of that one, shall many also be made righteous.

20 [ap]Moreover, the Law [aq]entered thereupon, that the offense should abound: nevertheless, where sin abounded, there grace [ar]abounded much more:

21 That as sin had reigned unto death, so might grace also reign by righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 5:1 Another argument taken of the effects: we are justified with that, which truly appeaseth our conscience before God but faith in Christ doth appease our conscience, and not the Law, as it was before said, therefore by faith we are justified, and not by the Law.
  2. Romans 5:2 Whereas quietness of conscience is attributed to faith, it is to be referred to Christ, who is the giver of faith itself, and in whom faith itself is effectual.
  3. Romans 5:2 We must here know, that we have yet still this same effect of faith.
  4. Romans 5:2 By which grace, that is, by which gracious love and good will, or that state whereunto we are graciously taken.
  5. Romans 5:2 We stand steadfast.
  6. Romans 5:2 A preventing of an objection against them which beholding the daily miseries and calamities of the Church, think that the Christians dream, when they brag of their felicity: to whom the Apostle answereth, that their felicity is laid up under hope of another place: which hope is so certain and sure, that they do not less rejoice for that happiness, than if they did presently enjoy it.
  7. Romans 5:2 Our minds are not only quiet and settled, but also we are marvelously glad and conceive great joy for that heavenly inheritance which waiteth for us.
  8. Romans 5:3 Tribulation itself giveth us divers and sundry ways occasion to rejoice, much less doth it make us miserable.
  9. Romans 5:3 Afflictions accustom us to patience, and patience assureth us of the goodness of God, and this experience confirmeth, and fostereth our hope, which never deceiveth us.
  10. Romans 5:5 The ground of hope is an assured testimony of the conscience, by the gift of the holy Ghost, that we are beloved of God, and this is nothing else but that which we call faith: whereof it followeth, that through faith our consciences are quieted.
  11. Romans 5:5 Wherewith he loveth us.
  12. Romans 5:6 A sure comfort in adversity, that our peace and quietness of conscience be not troubled: for he that so loved them that were of no strength, and while they were yet sinners, that he died for them, how can he neglect them being now sanctified and living in him?
  13. Romans 5:6 In time fit and convenient, which the father hath appointed.
  14. Romans 5:7 An amplifying of the love of God towards us, so that we cannot doubt of it, who delivereth Christ to death for the unjust, and for them of whom he could receive no commodity, and (that more is) for his very enemies. How can it be then that Christ being now alive, should not save them from destruction, whom by his death he justifieth and reconcileth?
  15. Romans 5:7 In the stead of some just man.
  16. Romans 5:8 He setteth out his love unto us, that in the midst of our afflictions we may know assuredly, he will be present with us.
  17. Romans 5:8 While sin reigned in us.
  18. Romans 5:9 From affliction and destruction.
  19. Romans 5:11 He now passeth over to the other part of justification, which consisteth in the free imputation of the obedience of Christ: so that to the remission of sins there is added moreover and besides, the gift of Christ’s righteousness imputed or put upon us by faith, which swalloweth up that unrighteousness which flowed from Adam into us, and all the fruits thereof: so that in Christ we do not only cease to be unjust, but we begin also to be just.
  20. Romans 5:12 From Adam, in whom all have sinned, both guiltiness and death (which is the punishment of the guiltiness) came upon all.
  21. Romans 5:12 By Adam, who is compared with Christ, like to him in this, that both of them make those who are theirs, partakers of that they have into: but they are unlike in this, that Adam deriveth sin into them that are his, even of nature, and that to death: but Christ maketh them that are his, partakers of his righteousness by grace, and that unto life.
  22. Romans 5:12 By sin is meant that disease which is ours by inheritance, and men commonly call it original sin: for so he useth to call that sin in the singular number, whereas, if he speaks of the fruits of it, he useth the plural number, calling them sins.
  23. Romans 5:12 That is, in Adam.
  24. Romans 5:13 That this is so, that both guiltiness and death began not after the giving and transgressing of Moses’ Law, it appeareth manifestly by that, that men died before that Law was given: for in that they died, sin, which is the cause of death, was then: and in such sort, that it was also imputeth: whereupon it followeth that there was then some Law, the breach whereof was the cause of death.
  25. Romans 5:13 Even from Adam to Moses.
  26. Romans 5:13 Where there is no Law made, no man is punished as faulty and guilty.
  27. Romans 5:14 But that this Law was not that universal Law, and that death did not proceed from any actual sin of everyone particularly, it appeareth hereby, that the very infants which neither could ever know nor transgress that natural Law, are notwithstanding dead as well as Adam.
  28. Romans 5:14 Our infants.
  29. Romans 5:14 Not after that sort as they sin that are of more years, following their lusts: but yet the whole posterity was corrupt in Adam, when as he wittingly and willingly sinned.
  30. Romans 5:14 Now the first Adam answereth the latter, who is Christ, as it is afterward declared.
  31. Romans 5:15 Adam and Christ are compared together in this respect, that both of them do give and yield to theirs, that which is their own: but herein first they differ, that Adam by nature hath spread his fault to the destruction of many, but Christ’s obedience hath by grace overflowed many.
  32. Romans 5:15 That is, Adam.
  33. Romans 5:16 Another inequality consisteth in this, that by Adam’s one offense men are made guilty, but the righteousness of Christ imputed unto us freely, doth not only absolve us from that one fault, but from all others.
  34. Romans 5:16 To the sentence of absolution, whereby we are quit, and pronounced righteous.
  35. Romans 5:17 The third difference is, that the righteousness of Christ being imputed unto us by grace, is of greater power to bring life, than the offense of Adam is to addict his posterity to death.
  36. Romans 5:17 Be partakers of true and everlasting life.
  37. Romans 5:18 Therefore to be short, as by one man’s offense, the guiltiness came on all men, to make them subject to death: so on the contrary side, the righteousness of Christ, which by God’s mercy is imputed to all believers, justifieth them, that they may become partakers of everlasting life.
  38. Romans 5:18 Not only because our sins are forgiven us, but also because the righteousness of Christ is imputed unto us.
  39. Romans 5:19 The ground of this whole comparison is this, that these two men are set as two stocks or roots, so that out of the one, sin by nature, out of the other, righteousness by grace doth spring forth upon others.
  40. Romans 5:19 So then, sin entered not into us only by following the steps of our forefather, but we take corruption of him by inheritance.
  41. Romans 5:19 This word, Many, is set against this word, A few.
  42. Romans 5:20 A preventing of an objection: why then did the Law of Moses enter thereupon? that men might be so much the more guilty, and the benefit of God in Christ Jesus be so much the more glorious.
  43. Romans 5:20 Beside that disease which all men were infected withall by being defiled with one man’s sin, the Law entered.
  44. Romans 5:20 Grace was poured so plentifully from heaven, that it did not only countervail sin, but above measure passed it.